Sharon is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in
Schoharie County,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, United States. The population was 1,697 at the 2020 census.
[United States Census Bureau, 2020 U.S. Census Results, Sharon town, Schoharie County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Sharon%20town,%20Schoharie%20County,%20New%20York] The town is named after a location in
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
, whence some early settlers came. The town of Sharon is in the northwestern corner of the county and is southwest of
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
.
History
The town was first settled around 1780. It was called "New Dorlach" from a location in Germany known to the early settlers while still in Otsego County.
In 1781 during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, the Battle of Sharon was fought in the town between small contingents of colonial forces and Tories.
Sharon was created in 1797 from the town of
Schoharie during the early organization of Schoharie County.
[
]
The opening of the
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east–west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigability, navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, ...
in 1825 reduced road traffic on a major east-west turnpike through the town, leading to the decline of several early communities.
Sharon Springs was set apart from the town in 1871 through incorporation as a village.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.23%) is water.
The northern town line is the border of
Montgomery County and the western town boundary is the border of
Otsego County.
U.S. Route 20 is an east-west highway in the town.
New York State Route 10
New York State Route 10 (NY 10) is a north–south state highway in the Central New York Region, Central New York and North Country, New York, North Country regions of New York (state), New York in the United States. It extends for f ...
, a north-south highway, intersects US-20 in Sharon Springs.
New York State Route 145
New York State Route 145 (NY 145) is a state highway in eastern New York (state), New York in the United States. The highway extends for from New York State Route 23, NY 23 in the Greene County, New York, Greene County town of Ca ...
has its northern terminus at US-20 in Sharon hamlet.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 1,843 people, 678 households, and 484 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 838 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.21%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.60%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.16%
Native American, 0.11%
Asian, 0.16% from
other races, and 0.76% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.25% of the population.
There were 678 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $36,413, and the median income for a family was $40,417. Males had a median income of $31,167 versus $25,972 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $18,639. About 10.8% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Sharon
*Argusville – A
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
northeast of Sharon village, located on County Roads 5A and 5B.
*Beekman Corners – A location by the southern town line at County Road 5 and NY-10. It was one of the prominent communities in the early history of Sharon. The
St. John's Lutheran Church is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
*Engleville-- A location in the southwestern corner of the town, earlier "Engles Mills."
*Engleville Pond – A small lake north of Engleville.
*Gilbert Corners – A hamlet in the northeastern part of the town on County Road 34.
*Leesville – A location west of Sharon Springs, located on US-20. It was formerly a major business center in the town.
*Rockville – A former hamlet, now part of Sharon Springs.
*
Sharon Springs – The Village of Sharon Springs is on NY-10, north of its intersection with US-20 in the western part of the town.
*Sharon – A hamlet near the eastern town line at the junction of routes US-20 and NY-145. It was once called "Moaks Hollow."
*Sharon Airport (K31) – A general aviation, turf-runway
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
near Sharon Center.
*Sharon Center – A hamlet southeast of Sharon Springs located at the junction of US-20 and County Road 34.
*Staleyville – A location north of Sharon Springs on NY-10.
References
External links
*
Early history of Sharon
{{authority control
Towns in Schoharie County, New York
Towns in New York (state)